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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-07-15 Minutes MINUTES OF THE Edina Transportation Commission Thursday, July 15, 2010 Edina City Hall 4801 West 50th Street Council Chambers MEMBERS PRESENT: Jennifer Janovy, Paul Nelson, Michael Schroeder, Josh Sprague, Jean White, Geof Workinger, Nathan Franzen, Julie Sierks MEMBERS ABSENT: Usha Abramovitz, Tom Bonneville STAFF PRESENT: Jack Sullivan, Sharon Allison I. Call to Order The meeting was called order by chair Janovy. II. Approval of Minutes a. Regular Meeting of May 20, 2010 Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the minutes of May 20 and it was seconded by Commissioner Workinger. b. Work Session Meeting of June 17, 2010 Commissioner Sprague moved to approve the minutes of June 17 and it was seconded by Commissioner Nelson. Commissioner Schroeder abstained. c. Work Session Meeting of July 1, 2010 (Non-mandatory attendance) Approval was tabled until verification can be made with Assistant City Manager Worthington regarding whether this should be ‘Work Session Notes’ that should be formally approved. III. Old Business Janovy recapped how they started the process by stating that they recognized that the ETC policy was folded into Comp Plan and may need to be updated; that most of the Traffic Task Force items have been completed; an awareness that the ETC policy makes reference to bylaws but they do not have bylaws; and the Planning Commission’s discussion about the ETC’s role in development proposals. And they reminded themselves that they are advisory to City Council and to staff and do not direct staff. She stated further that they’ve identified different areas in scope that are not all listed in the meeting handout. She said the handout shows a topic area for them rate and identify the next steps which can be one, none or a combination. The discussion began with the role of the ETC. Janovy said the role is that which has been discussed or that exist, e.g. the ETC is not currently involved with road reconstruction. And just because something is in the scope does not mean the ETC will be involved all the time, or have a role. She said they may just develop policy and not be involved any further. 2 In reference to Complete Streets, Janovy said she has learned from Houle that a policy is likely for Edina. Sullivan concurred. Sprague asked if Mn/DOT would write a model that Edina will have to conform to. Sullivan said Mn/DOT will write a policy to fit their needs and Edina would modify it to fit Edina’s needs. He said staff would prefer to wait to see where Mn/DOT is heading with the policy. He also said other groups such as the City/County Engineers Association may have a model that Edina could use. Janovy said she sees this as a high priority, but now is not the right time to act. Workinger concurred and stated that they should wait and then react. Sprague said they should suggest to staff that they develop a policy for local and non-collector streets since what was passed is for State Aid roads only. Schroeder said they should broadly define the principles and then fill in as you move along. Sullivan said staff practices in broad/vague language that is not formulated into a policy. He said they have given brief thoughts to what the policy may look like. He said Hennepin County would have a policy to cover their roads; Mn/DOT would have one to cover the State Aid roads, and Edina would have one that focuses on local roads. Janovy said there is pressure to encourage active transportation, including mass transit, and a Complete Streets policy is a way to have some design standards. Sullivan said most policies are generally vague that states that it will try to accommodate most users, but how do you do this. Janovy said sidewalks are hard to pass and if Complete Streets policy said they will install sidewalks but they do not get passed then where would they have gotten. She said they have the Bike Task Force but not an equivalent for pedestrians, so there may be one winning over the other. Workinger said he was not sure what they were talking about because they already do their best to accommodate all users. Janovy said they probably need policies to back up the practices, e.g. the petition process is confusing and she heard examples of a petition being submitted and for six years nothing was done; or, using franchise fees instead of assessments. She said there are competing demands on franchise fees and if the ETC felt that it would be valuable to use this money for sidewalk, a recommendation could be made to the Council and this could help to facilitate sidewalks. She said on-street parking on local streets is good for calming traffic as an approach to Complete Street and it probably should be evaluated, but most people do not park on the streets which make driving 35 mph appealing. White said they should have measures for doing certain things. Sprague said Mn/DOT generally create specifications. Sullivan said there is none to his knowledge. He said Mn/DOT has documents that are in conflict with what they are doing and Complete Streets might mean more variables and be a guiding principle. Sprague moved that they create uniformity and comprehensive approach for local streets with a and therefore, enact a Complete Streets policy. Motion seconded by Nelson. Schroeder suggested changing ‘uniformity’ to ‘comprehensive’ and Sprague agreed. Nelson asked if Complete Streets was considered for Parkwood Knolls Reconstruction. Sullivan said sidewalk was recommended on Parkwood Road but it was not approved and neither was narrowing of a certain section of roadway. He said some residents did not want curb and gutter but it was approved. He said not delineating for cars, pedestrians, and bikes when traffic is low may have been the argument for some residents. Workinger asked if the France Avenue Sidewalk was still in progress. Sullivan said yes. White asked if this should be professionally studied to see how other cities have implemented Complete Streets. Sprague said in Bloomington, there is a threshold and the policy apply or it does not. Franzen said he is in favor of a Complete Streets policy. He said a trail was funded 3 in his neighborhood that would have benefited an entire community but neighbors stopped it. He said community-wide goals should be stressed so that some residents cannot stop a project. Sprague said the policy would help to manage public expectation. The motion was amended to say ‘comprehensive.’ Six voted aye. One abstained (White). Road Diet/Re-Striping Policy Sprague said Bloomington has a collector restriping policy and he asked if this would be redundant or could be created in parallel with Complete Streets. Sullivan said it could be incorporated and it would be a way to maximize the usage while minimizing footage of the corridor. Janovy said they can distribute Bloomington’s policy, or it is on their website. Road Reconstruction Regarding road reconstruction, Janovy said they talked about having a role. She said one idea that was suggested was that staff would present an annual overview of upcoming projects. She said the presentation to the ETC could be in September since staff knows which projects they will be working on by August. Janovy said the presentation would be for information only purposes only. Workinger said if they can add value, they should be part of the review process and should be able to make recommendations as part of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) so that it goes to Council with some suggestions. Sullivan said they would need to become involved around June/July. Nelson suggested looking at 2012 since 2011 are already set. He also suggested that they could look from 2012 to 5 years out. Sullivan said they look at pavement conditions, utilities, drainage and other things associated like sidewalk, speed bump, etc. and these are areas where they ETC could help. Nelson asked about the gateway treatments in the Cornelia Neighborhood. Sullivan said they were staff initiated and residents in neighboring project area did not want them. Janovy said in her meeting with Houle, she got the impression that he does not want the ETC involved with this process. Sullivan said yes, staff has a process that works well and wants to continue this. Janovy said there are things in a feasibility study that will be questioned and the ETC could help to facilitate. She reiterated that she got the feeling that Houle does not want the ETC involved with reconstruction or the CIP. Sprague asked if value would be added with their involvement in the CIP process. Janovy said it is challenging to get residents to pay attention and when they get to the feasibility stage it is too late. Sprague moved that the ETC receive annual update of road reconstruction projects. Seconded by Franzen. Schroeder said the ETC’s role should be to shape what gets in the CIP for years 6 and 7. He said they should be responsible for the wider system and that there will be changes taking place outside of the city such as replacement of the Crosstown bridge that the Comp Plan should address but does not. He went on to say that they are at a point where conditions of the roadway dictate what they do. Janovy said it sounds like there may be two policies. The motion was modified that the ETC receives annual updates of road reconstruction and the CIP, with a focus on the 2-year plan but information on all projects in the 5-year plan. All voted aye. 4 Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) Janovy said the NTMP does not provide for education and enforcement. She said other communities have models of enforcement, not in the strict sense, but outreach. She said the idea is complaints often involve speeding and volume and the request is usually for a stop sign but a stop sign does not usually meet warrants. She said the NTMP would give staff a direction to take residents with complaints. Sprague concurred. Janovy said this is a way to use education and enforcement and since the NTMP has never been used, maybe it is time to evaluate. Workinger asked how this would help the TSC. Janovy said residents are usually asking for traffic calming. She said the requests are generally seasonal -- April to September they are looking for ways to slow traffic, not so much volume and in the winter they are looking for no-parking signs. She said the TSC has a different kind of toolbox and the NTMP gives a different option. Janovy said it would help to develop a policy and define ETC’s role within it. She said Mankato has an example of an NTMP that deals with education and enforcement before engineering. Sprague moved to update the NTMP to include education and enforcement. Seconded by Franzen. Workinger asked what education would provide. Janovy said Mankato for example, trains residents how to use a radar gun or stealth monitor speed/volume for 24 hours. She said they would look at some good models and put some responsibility on the person making complaint. She suggested getting Phil Larsen from the police department to attend a meeting. All voted aye. Franzen moved to have the TSC minutes placed on the ETC’s agenda. Seconded by Sprague. Amended by Workinger to include “before schedule to go to Council” and this was agreed to by Franzen. TSC meetings are the 1st Wednesday each month and are closed meetings. Workinger suggested having an ETC member on the TSC to keep their process moving without slowing it down. Sprague suggested tabling this for later a date. All concurred. All voted aye. Development Proposals Janovy said they do have a TIA policy and asked if it is not properly defined or not well integrated. Sprague said the latter. Schroeder said he was never concerned with the ETC having a role. He said it’s the lack of clarity to the public concerning who is responsible for what. He said the ETC should say what role they want and push this to the ZOUC, i.e. that ETC will not be holding public hearings. He said two are already held -- one by the Planning Commission (PC) and one by the Council. He asked why add another. He thinks there should only be one done by the PC to talk about development and transportation. He said one recommendation is for Cary/Jack/P.C./ETC to work to integrate an idea and bring back to the ETC. Workinger recommend that two members of the ETC serve on this group. 5 Janovy moved that Planning and Engineering staff, and two ETC commissioners meet to try to integrate the process. Seconded by Sprague. All voted aye. Workinger suggested a meeting time that most people can make. ETC Policy Janovy said the Comp Plan has replaced everything prior to the NTMP. She said the NTMP was left hanging and asked if it should be absorbed or left as a stand-alone and eliminate the ETC Policy. Forming a subcommittee to pull out from the Comp Plan the relevant areas for the ETC to use as a guide was suggested. Workinger volunteered for the subcommittee. Pulling out pieces of the Local Traffic Task Force and NTMP was also suggested. Janvoy said they are looking for a broader vision and statement in this new ETC policy. She said they could table the discussion until everyone has had a chance to refresh their memory of the Transportation Chapter in the Comp Plan and ETC policy. Schroeder and Franzen also volunteered for the subcommittee. Janovy said she serve in some form. Janovy moved to approve the formation of the subcommittee of Workinger, Schroeder and Franzen. Seconded by Franzen. The subcommittee is to report back by September. All voted aye. Projects not within Edina’s Jurisdiction Janovy said this is important to Bonneville. She said he had an idea where each member would bring a concern forward. Schroeder said this could mean each member having more power and further, staff has been responsive to members when they bring concerns forward. It was pointed out that they are getting information but not early enough to influence. Schroeder said they should be aware but not review, which implies jurisdiction. He suggested that they ask other jurisdiction to come to the ETC so that the ETC can comment when they have a chance to influence. By consensus, the ETC as a matter of policy, will comment on projects outside of their jurisdiction at a time when comment can influence. Bylaws Janovy said they do not have bylaws even though the ordinance says they do. She said they could ask the City to provide standard sections on data practice, open meeting law, etc. Workinger said he is not excited about bylaws. Janovey said they elect a chair but do not have bylaws to guide them. Janovy moved that the ETC recommend that the City develops a standard model that they can modify fit their needs. Seconded by Franzen. All voted aye. ETC Ordinance and Minutes Recommendation Tabled until next meeting. Janovy thanked Sierks for her service on the ETC and wished the best as she heads off to college. 6 IV. Adjournment